Article and card package and fastening means therefor

ABSTRACT

A package comprising an article mounted on a display card, and means for fastening an article to a card are disclosed. The fastening means consists of two parts; a rivet member including at least two legs each having one free end having a cam portion and a locking portion adjacent to the cam portion, and a clamp member, the clamp member having at least two holes therein for cooperation with said at least two legs of the rivet member, a camming portion and a locking portion of said clamp member associated with each said hole. One of the members has a portion operatively engaging the card and the other member has a portion engaging the article. In mounting the article on the card, the legs are passed through the holes and are cammed by the camming portions until the locking portions of the legs engage the locking portions of the clamp member thereby securely mounting the article upon the card.

United States Patent [191 Beal [ Dec. 23, 1975 ARTICLE AND CARD PACKAGE AND FASTENING MEANS THEREFOR [75] Inventor: Glenn 1. Bea], Somerset, Pa.

[73] Assignee: R. M. Smith, Inc., Somerset, Pa.

[22] Filed: Mar. 19, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 452,648

[52] US. Cl 206/481; 24/73 PF; 206/45.l4; 206/482; 206/493; 206/495; 248/75 [51] Int. Cl. B65D 73/00 [58] Field of Search 206/45, 14, 349, 477, 478, 206/480, 495, 493, 294, 298, 451, 452, 481, 482; 24/73 BR, 73 PF; 248/27, 74 PB, 75, 74

Primary ExaminerWilliam 1. Price Assistant ExaminerBruce H. Bernstein Attorney, Agent, or FirmCushman, Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT A package comprising an article mounted on a display card, and means for fastening an article to a card are disclosed. The fastening means consists of two parts; a rivet member including at least two legs each having one free end having a cam portion and a locking portion adjacent to the cam portion, and a clamp member, the clamp member having at least two holes therein for cooperation with said at least two legs of the rivet member, a camming portion and a locking portion of said clamp member associated with each said hole. One of the members has a portion operatively engaging the card and the other member has a portion engaging the article. In mounting the article on the card, the legs are passed through the holes and are cammed by the camming portions until the locking portions of the legs engage the locking portions of the clamp member thereby securely mounting the article upon the card.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Dec. 23, 1975 ARTICLE AND CARD PACKAGE AND FASTENING MEANS THEREFOR SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to packages and more particularly to packages comprising a hose nozzle or like article and a display card, and to improved means for effecting the securement of a card and a hose nozzle or like article together.

It is desirable to form individual packages of hardware articles, such as hose nozzles and the like, by securing said articles to a card. The card package per mits the articles to be conveniently shipped in cartons, and to be displayed for sale either within the shipping carton or on display peg racks, and makes the hardware article more difficult to pilfer. Plastic tape, staples, plastic bubbles, or a shrinkable plastic film have been used in the past to secure articles to cards. These securement means have not been completely satisfactory, however.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a carded package of the type described having improved means for securing an article to the card which insures that the package is maintained in assembled relation even when subjected to severe handling.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of the carded package of the type described having improved means for securing an article and card together which is simple but effective in operation and economical to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a securement means for a carded package of the type described that takes a good deal of time and effort to detach, thereby preventing easy theft of the article by detaching the article from the card.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a package embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the package shown in FIG. 1 with parts broken away for purposes of clearer illustration;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the securing means of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof a package, generally indicated at 10, embodying the principles of the present invention. The package comprises, in general, a hose nozzle, or like article, generally indicated at 12, a card, generally indicated at 11, and a fastening means, generally indicated at 18, for securing the nozzle and card together.

The nozzle 12 includes end portions 13 and 14, and thinned middle portion 16, as well as socket 15 for connection of the hose nozzle with a hose end connection. A tab 31, formed out of cutout 33 in card 11, engages socket portion 15. Cutout 33 also receives end portion 14. Tab 31 assists in preventing relative pivotal movement of the nozzle 12 about fastening means 18.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fastening means 18 includes two members, preferably molded of any suitable plastic; a rivet member 19a, and a strap or band clamping member 19b. In the preferred embodiment shown, rivet member 19a includes a cross-portion 23 joining two flexible legs 20 each having a camming portion 21 and a locking portion 22 at the free end thereof. Clamp member 19b includes a cross member 25, shaped to engage the article surface. Holes 26 are formed in the ends of clamp member 19b for engagement with legs 20. Locking portions 27 of clamp member 19b are formed on the portion of the clamp mem ber adjacent holes 26, while the outside surfaces 28 of the holes 26 are camming portions for engagement with camming'portions 21 of legs 20.

It will be understood that the article, card and fastener may be assembled manually or by use of appropriate assembling machinery. The assembly is accomplished by positioning the nozzle on one surface of the card so that it is generally centrally located thereon, placing the tab in engagement with the socket 15 of the nozzle and placing end 14 in cutout 33, inserting legs 20 of rivet member 19a through holes 32 located in card 11 on either side of nozzle 12 and forcing holes 26 of clamping member 19b on legs 20 of rivet member 19a. When clamping member 19b is forced on rivet member 19a, camming portions 28 on the inside surfaces of holes 26 of clamping member 19b engage camming surfaces 21 of legs 20 of rivet member 19a, thereby flexing the legs 20 inwardly to allow clamping member 1912 to be forced downwardly on legs 20. When clamping member 19b has been forced down far enough, locking portions 22 and 27 engage, thereby locking the nozzle onto the card.

It is apparent that the securing means of the present invention firmly mounts the article on the card. The article may not be slid off the card in either direction since abutting end portions 13 and 14 will have at least one dimension too large to pass through the open-ing formed between members 19a and 1912. In addition, it would be difficult to remove the article from the card by detaching the securing means, since camming portions 21 of legs 20 must be forced inwardly until locking portions 22 and 27 disengage before the fastening means can be removed. It will thus be seen that the objects of (a) preventing easy theft of the article by removing the article from the card, (b) maintaining the package in assembled relation even when subjected to severe handling, and (0) providing a securing means which is simple but effective in operation and economical to manufacture, have all been accomplished.

It is apparent that many modifications of this invention could be made. For instance, the clamping member could be placed on the bottom of the card with hole-containing portions extending through holes in the card, while the rivet member cross piece could be shaped to engage the article, Also, the member operatively engaging the card could have projections forced through the card rather than providing holes in the card, or a single hole in the card shaped to generally conform to the cross-portion of either the clamping member or rivet member could be provided.

Many other modifications are possible; therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

I. A package comprising:

a. an article including two end portions with a middle mounting portion therebetween,

b. a display card of an area greater than the outline configuration of said article receiving said article on one surface thereof, and

. fastening means distinct and separable from said card and said article for securing said article at said mounting portion thereof to said card, said fastening means comprising one of said members when fastening said article to said card having a portion operatively engaging said card, and the other member having a portion engaging said mounting portion of said article, whereby said legs are passed through said holes and are cammed by said camming portions of said clamp member until said locking portions of said legs engage said locking portions of said clamp member thereby fastening said article onto said card.

2. A package as recited in claim 1 wherein the member operatively engaging said card is the rivet member, and wherein said card-engaging portion of said rivet member engages the surfaces of said card opposite to the surface of said card receiving said article, said legs of said rivet member passing through holes in said card to engage said clamp member.

3. A package as recited in claim 2 wherein said clamp member portion engaging said article is shaped to conform to said mounting portion of said article.

4. A package as recited in claim 1 wherein said clamp member is the member having a portion engaging said mounting portion of said article, and wherein said article engaging portion of said clamp member is shaped to conform to said mounting portion of said article.

5. A package as recited in claim 1 wherein said article is a hose nozzle having a socket at one end thereof for connection to a hose end fitting, said card having a cutout tab formed therein engaged within the socket of said nozzle.

6. A package as recited in claim 1 wherein said clamp member and said rivet member are molded of relatively hard and non-deformable plastic. 

1. A package comprising: a. an article including two end portions with a middle mounting portion therebetween, b. a display card of an area greater than the outline configuration of said article receiving said article on one surface thereof, and c. fastening means distinct and separable from said card and said article for securing said article at said mounting portion thereof to said card, said fastening means comprising i. a rivet member, said rivet member including at least two legs each having one free end having a cam portion and a locking portion adjacent said cam portion, and ii. a clamp member, said clamp member having at least two holes therein for cooperation with said at least two legs of said rivet member, a camming portion and a locking portion of said clamp member associated with each said hole, said camming portions of a said clamp member for deflecting said legs by cooperation with said camming portion of said legs, one of said members when fastening said article to said card having a portion operatively engaging said card, and the other member having a portion engaging said mounting portion of said article, whereby said legs are passed through said holes and are cammed by said camming portions of said clamp member until said locking portions of said legs engage said locking portions of said clamp member thereby fastening said article onto said card.
 2. A package as recited in claim 1 wherein the member operatively engaging said card is the rivet member, and wherein said card-engaging portion of said rivet member engages the surfaces of said card opposite to the surface of said card receiving said article, said legs of said rivet member passing through holes in said card to engage said clamp member.
 3. A package as recited in claim 2 wherein said clamp member portion engaging said article is shaped to conform to said mounting portion of said article.
 4. A package as recited in claim 1 wherein said clamp member is the member having a portion engaging said mounting portion of said article, and wherein said article engaging portion of said clamp member is shaped to conform to said mounting portion of said article.
 5. A package as recited in claim 1 wherein said article is a hose nozzle having a socket at one end thereof for connection to a hose end fitting, said card having a cutout tab formed therein engaged within the socket of said nozzle.
 6. A package as recited in claim 1 wherein said clamp member and said rivet member are molded of relatively hard and non-deformable plastic. 